Softball and track championships in the books

The crowns have been installed and the 2024 Montana high school spring sports season is in the books.

And perhaps the most contested contest of them all was Manhattan’s wins over Shepherd in the Class BC softball State Championship game, giving them the title in what was overtime. 

After losing 12-0 to Shepherd earlier in the tournament at Billings’ sprawling Stewart Park softball complex, Manhattan needed a pair of victories over the Fillies to become state champions. 

They took the first step in that direction with an 11-8 win that opened the path for a Manhattan challenge, both teams having one loss in the double elimination tourney.  The Lady Tigers then won the second game in a Monday afternoon game, 6-1 to clinch the BC crown. 

Meanwhile, in track and field state championship play, the Corvallis boys and girls’ teams recorded a sweep of both team titles, with the boys holding off Columbia Falls 68-67 to earn the championship for Class A, joining the girls as state titlists. 

Two local athletes (Mineral and Sanders Counties) won individual event titles in the Class B track and field championships held at the Laurel Sports Complex adjacent to Laurel High. 

Superior’s Lucas Kovalsky captured the Class B pole vault championship with a vault of 13-6, tying the school and personal records he set earlier in the year. 

And Plains junior Alexis Demming made it two state B discus titles in a row, along with a second place showing in the shot put to help the Trotters to a fourth-place team finish in the Class B girls' events. 

Jefferson High (Boulder) School’s boys won the B team title, while Huntley Project took first among the girls. 

In Class C track action in Great Falls, Belt’s boys won the team title, while Roberts and Savage High shared the girls title. 

The Class AA boys team track and field championship was won by Gallatin High (Bozeman), while Helena High won the girl's title. 

In Class A softball play, Columbia Falls hammered Billings Central 14-3 in the first of two games for the championship, then held off the Lady Rams 9-6 to win the Class A crown.  Polson’s Lady Pirates placed third in the Class A tournament. 

In Class AA action, Helena Capital downed Glacier (Kalispell) 3-2 to win the title.  Glacier secured second place with a challenge game win over Billings West, 7-6.